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Nuclear Energy: Do We Have Anything to Fear? A WebQuest for 7th-8th Grade Science and Computer Technology students
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Designed by
Linda Whited
Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits
Introduction
Since the tragedy of 9/11/01, Americans have noted heightened security around airports, of course. However, other areas of our lives have also prompted us to become more aware, cautious, and concerned, as well. For example, American celebrations and events that are of international interest, our country’s borders, the American water supply, the U.S. Postal Service, and nuclear power plants are just a few of the areas that have required evaluation of existing security procedures and an emphasis on tightening and improving those procedures.
The Task
As a concerned young citizen who lives close to two nuclear power plants, the idea of security around those plants has become a concern for you and your friends.
In addition, you have read in the paper that pills are being passed out to residents and businesses around the power plants and begin to wonder what that step is all about and whether or not you should have those same pills.
Also, you remember your parents talking about a strange place called Chernobyl in Russia that experienced a horrific event involving nuclear energy and another location called Three-Mile Island (somewhere in the United States) and how Americans were very frightened with a situation that occurred there.
Finally, you heard a blurb on TV about a place out west called Yucca and how nuclear waste from the plants in your area was going to be shipped there and buried in a mountain.
All this increased talk about “nuclear-this” and “nuclear-that” has made you begin to worry a bit about what situations could develop that might endanger you, your family, and friends. Therefore, you and your friends have decided to begin organizing and researching some of this information and other Internet resources to find out just where things stand with regard to nuclear energy and whether your fears are grounded or not.
You have asked your science teacher and principal for permission to present your findings to the school in order to make everyone aware of this real-life situation, which affects us all, and whether or not we should fear nuclear energy or forget our fears. They were so impressed with your commitment to this project that they made arrangements to have you and your fellow group of “researchers” present your findings via a Power Point at the next town meeting in order to educate everyone on a topic of current interest and concern to the entire United States.
Process
You and your friends first get together, and using Inspiration, you prepare a cluster diagram with the main idea in the middle: “Nuclear Energy”. Then, rapid fire 14 bubbles from the center with the following titles inside:
1.World nuclear power plants 8.Advantages of nuclear energy
2.U.S. nuclear power plants 9.Disadvantages of nuclear energy
3.Ohio nuclear power plants 10.How nuclear waste is disposed
4.Pills being distributed 11.Yucca Mountain
5.Chernobyl 12.Radiation
6.Three-Mile Island 13.Weather patterns
7.How nuclear energy works 14.Security/regulation at nuclear power plants
From each of the 14 bubbles, you should brainstorm everything you know or believe you know about that particular topic. Anything goes in this section. In fact, the more ideas you can come up with the more opportunities you will have to research and prove your point—or sometimes even prove yourself WRONG.
Second, you and your friends should begin researching the resources listed below, reading all you can about every aspect of nuclear energy (i.e., its history, how it is created, any accidents or near-accidents that have happened, locations of plants in world, U.S., and just Ohio, pros and cons, how weather affects, radiation and its effects on life, treatments for radiation exposure, how we get rid of nuclear waste, and so on). In other words, immerse yourself in all the information that you can on the hyperlinks offered below or in any other legitimate websites you can locate via a search engine.
When you research a topic, you need to copy and paste phrases and notes into a Word document for later study with other notes and final synthesis into a professional and persuasive document that you will orally present to the people of your community. DO NOT PRINT ENTIRE WEBSITES—it is a waste of paper, ink, and time. Read on the screen and decide at that point what is valuable information to download (copy and paste). You also need to record the website where you obtained the information for use in your credits. Copying and pasting the URL into your Word document will enable you to do this easily when the time comes.
You should also download into your network file any graphics that can be used to enhance and/or support your presentation. Any appropriate sound effects or music you encounter that could enhance—not detract from--your Power Point slide show should also be downloaded and cited.
Introduction to How Nuclear Power Works
Virtual Tour of Nuclear Power Plant
Nuclear Power Plant Information
Wonderful Links to Anything and Everything to do with Nuclear Energy
Timeline of Nuclear Technology
The Nuclear Energy Story—Past, Present, and Future
http://www.howstuffworks.com/nuclear.htm
The Chemistry of Radioactivity
World Map of Nuclear Power Reactors
U.S. Nuclear Power Plants – Locations and Maps
Nuclear Power Plants in the U.S.
Nevada’s Nuclear Waste Project
Nuclear Waste Routes
Nuclear Waste Storage at Yucca Mountain
Battle over Storage of Nuclear Waste
Nuclear Energy Information Service
Questions and Answers with the American Nuclear Society
Nuclear Energy Institute and Nuclear Technologies
Nuclear Power Resources and Information
Reactor Accidents – Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility
Links to Nuclear Energy and Accident Sites
Nuclear Energy—Safe or Deadly?
Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors
Accidents – Nuclear Energy and the Environment
Partial List of U.S. Nuclear Accidents
Chronology of Japanese Accident
No Solution to Climate Change—Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Energy Industry—Soooo 20th Century
Internet Resources on Nuclear Energy
Librarian’s Internet Index to Nuclear Information
Nuclear Energy and Power Industry Links
Nuclear Reaction—Why Americans Fear Nuclear Energy
Protecting Our Vulnerable Nuclear Power Plants
You will be evaluated on your research and group project in several ways using the following rubric:
After having completed your research into nuclear power plants and all the required elements as outlined, you will hopefully have
As a part of any research project, you need to list the sources from which you obtained your information. This listing of resources needs to include books, music, pictures, and text that were used in any way in the development of your final project.
In addition, a thank you should be given both verbally and in writing to the people who helped you in the preparation of your project.
